1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aerator for a live bait well. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adjustable aerator for fitting different sized live bait wells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for aerators have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,360 to Jeffries teaches a live bait water aerator that comprises a submersible water pump, a conduit attached to the water outlet of the pump, leading vertically upward above the water surface, ending in a water delivery head having a plurality of deliver holes set at an angle relative to the surface of the water. A method of aerating water in a live bait container which comprises drawing water through a three-chambered submergible electrically powered water pump, passing the water through a conduit ending above the surface of the water, delivering a plurality of streams of water through a cylindrical deliver head onto and below the surface of the water in which the pump is submerged thereby trapping air bubbles below the surface of the water.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,043 to Steele teaches a bait container in the form of a foamed plastic chest and lid. A solar cell assembly is positioned on the lid; conductors extend to the lid to metal foil contact strips on the nether side of the lid. A pair of matching metal strips for contact purposes is located on the upper peripheral lip of the chest. The metal contacts connect with conductors to a motor and the motor connects with a pump to remove pump from the chest, to pump the water through a feedline and into a header to be sprayed into the chest.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,177 to Bogar Jr. teaches a bucket-type shaped container including a removable top and downwardly facing suction cups is provided for disposition within and suction cup support from the bottom of a reservoir containing water and bait. The side walls of the container include a large number of water inlet openings formed therein and a flexible panel of filtering material is formed into generally cylindrical configuration and snugly telescoped within the container. A flexible resilient panel member is flexed into generally cylindrical configuration with overlapped ends and is telescoped into the cylindrical filter panel and includes openings formed therethrough registered with the container wall openings, the flexible panel member exerting an outward biasing force on the filter panel. An electric motor powered submersible pump is wholly contained within the container and includes an inlet within the container and an outlet conduit which extends outwardly of the container and includes an outlet end within the associated receptacle above the water level therein and equipped with water spread discharge structure for discharging jets of water therefrom downwardly onto the surface of the water within the receptacle exteriorly of the container.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,762 to Burgess teaches an aerator that comprises a centrifugal pump including a rotary impeller with a plurality of blades defining an upwardly opening, axially oriented eye, inwardly of the inner ends of the blades, the blades also defining a plurality of flow passages therebetween extending generally radially outwardly from the eye. The pump further comprises an impeller housing generally surrounding the impeller and including an upper wall closely overlaying a major portion of the blades, radially outermost, and defining an axially upwardly opening inlet over the impeller eye, the housing further defining at least one laterally opening outlet communicating with the radially outer extremities of the flow passages. The housing is adapted to resist rotation with respect to a container of liquid in which a pump may be disposed. The pump is also adapted to stay in a given depth range in such container. A housing extension conduit, fixed with respect to the impeller housing, extends upwardly with respect to the impeller housing. A throughway of the conduit has its lower end aligned with the inlet of the impeller housing. The length of the conduit is sufficient to position an upper end of the throughway above the liquid. A lower portion of the conduit at least partially defines a liquid intake disposed below the surface of the liquid and opening above the upper wall of the impeller housing. This liquid intake is sized to pass less liquid per unit time than the pump can handle.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,777 to Vento teaches an aerator designed for aeration of a live bait well and comprising a centrifugal type pump comprising an impeller and an impeller casing having an inlet an outlet, wherein the inlet is in communication with water from the bait well and also with air via an air conduit. The air conduit is provided with metering means for metering the amount of air entering the impeller and for optimizing the mincing of air in the fluid (which is a different technical phenomena from simply pumping an air/water mixture). The bubble produced in accordance with the present invention are so fine as to give the water a fogged appearance. The unusually high level of oxygenation makes it possible for the first time to pack two to four times as many bait fish into a live well as had previously been considered possible.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,916 to Power teaches a battery operated storage container which is divided into two compartments, one for bait and a second for fish caught. It incorporates a pump for filling the compartments to a present level and a pump to empty the compartments. It also contains an electronic control panel which allows the user to select which functions he/she wants to perform. These functions include filling, emptying, recycling, and aerating the water. The functions can be performed simultaneously or independently.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for aerators have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an adjustable aerator for fitting different sized live bait wells that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an adjustable aerator for fitting different sized live bait wells that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an adjustable aerator for fitting different sized live bait wells that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an adjustable aerator for fitting different sized live bait wells. The aerator includes a plate that is vertically positioned in the live bait well, a pump, and a manifold in fluid communication with the pump. The pump is attached to the base of the live bait well by suction cups and aerates water passing through the plate. The manifold conducts the water after being aerated by the pump and includes a lower elbow in fluid communication with the pump, an upright tube in fluid communication with the lower elbow, a TEE in fluid communication with the upright tube, a pair of transverse tubes in fluid communication with both sides of the TEE, respectively, and a pair of upper elbows in fluid communication with the pair of transverse tubes, respectively, and rotatably attached to the pair of transverse tubes, respectively, for accommodating for the different sized live bait wells.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawings.